One of the very (very very very) few positives about severe autism is meeting some of the best people in the world. It takes exceptional people, special people, to work in the world of special needs. I am not a
Ben’s Haircut and Then Some
Parents of Disabled Children vs Everybody Else — Big Difference #1:
Parents whose child’s life begins tragically with a devastating disorder spend the rest of our lives trying to keep it from ending that way.
In a Word, Severe Autism is Hell
Oh God — Ben is being attacked. It’s dinner time this past Saturday, and the blows to his head are coming fast and hard. SmashSmashSmashSmashSmash!!!!! He is screaming. More blows strike his face, and the sides of his head. Over
Ben Royko, our One-Man Autism Awareness Squad
Ben loves Golden Books. No, really, he loves Golden Books. Make that he LOVES LOVES LOVES Golden Books. I don’t know if the clerk at Barnes & Noble loves Ben, but hey, the customer’s always right, right? Oh, and he
Simple Pleasures: Eating Walking Singing (Waiting – Not So Much)
First thing’s first — a HUGE Thank You to everyone who donated to Monarch Lifeworks through our Facebook ROYKO SUMMER BIRTHDAY TRIFECTA (Ben, Karen and me) Fundraiser! We originally planned a goal of $500, but then figured, hey, let’s shoot
ROYKO SUMMER BIRTHDAY TRIFECTA to Benefit MONARCH LIFEWORKS
Photo courtesy Monarch/Bellefaire JCB Daddy Dave turned 60 on June 8, the Big Benny Boy turned 26 on July 30, and Mom Karen will hit the big 60 on August 27. I know, I know, everyone’s thinking, “But I can’t
Ben Knows Socks
Ben is happy to put on his own socks, as long as we’re happy to wait. Obviously, such pleasures are meant to be savored, not rushed. Ben knows how to party. Sock On!
Ben’s Choices
Last week, I posted a link to A.F. Lutz’s Psychology Today piece that, in part, touches on the absurdity of severely autistic people like Ben and her son Jonah being expected to make major decisions about their lives. Of course,
Amy Fisher Lutz Bridges the Divide
As I (and others) have written repeatedly, higher-functioning autism self-advocates are among the least aware of what our severely autistic loved ones need and are capable of — because most of them have had ZERO first-hand experience with them. Writer
Mike Royko and the 4th of July — A Classic
Another exception to my autism-related blog posts — Dad’s Fourth of July column. It has been among my all-time favorites since I was nine. Happy 4th! Mike Royko 1968 Chicago Daily News Fourth of July Column It was early last